Youth on robbing spree in Dubai

2 youth were jobless and broke into 14 shops in Al Rifaa

Two jobless Yemenis allegedly broke into 14 shops in Dubai’s Al Rifaa area in October 2010 and stole things from them.

The court on Monday heard two theft-related cases. In the first case, MAS, 27 and ANS, 21, broke into a travel agency using a screwdriver and stole Dh1,000 from one of the drawers.

JSS, 27, Indian, partner testified that when he arrived at the company’s office on October 8 at around 9am, he saw the door was open and police were taking fingerprints.

“I told them that there was Dh1,000 in the drawer. When I opened the drawer, the amount was not there,” he testified.

First Lieutenant Hamad Obaid testified that police received 14 theft complaints from shops in Al Rifaa area in October.

“Investigating the complaints, we found out that all shops been broken into in the same way.

"We reached the two accused who were scared when arrested and willingly confessed to the thefts and guided us to the shops they robbed,” he testified.

However, the duo denied stealing anything from the travel agency.

In the second case, the two were accused of breaking into a stationery shop and stealing Dh4,070 from the cash box besides 50 telephone cards of a total value Dh1,000.

ASJ, 46, Indian, salesman in the stationery shop, testified that on October 8 when he arrived at the shop at around 8.30am, he found policemen in front of the shop. “I found out that the door was broken and some money and 50 telephone cards were missing,” he testified.

Corporal Ahmad Ali testified that the second accused confessed to entering the country illegally 40 days before his arrest. He admitted to committing 13 thefts in different areas in Dubai. He claimed that he and the other accused had stolen only small amounts of money in Dh5 and Dh10 notes, denying the complainant’s claim.